Patents by Inventor Ralf Richter

Ralf Richter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10033383
    Abstract: In illustrative embodiments disclosed herein, a logic element may be provided on the basis of a non-volatile storage mechanism, such as ferroelectric transistor elements, wherein the functional behavior may be adjusted or programmed on the basis of a shift of threshold voltages. To this end, a P-type transistor element and an N-type transistor element may be connected in parallel, while a ferroelectric material may be used so as to establish a first polarization state resulting in a first functional behavior and a second polarization state resulting in a second different functional behavior. For example, the logic element may enable a switching between P-type transistor behavior and N-type transistor behavior depending on the polarization state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Stefan Duenkel, Sven Beyer
  • Publication number: 20180158833
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a plurality of pairs of nonvolatile memory cells arranged in a row, an edge cell positioned adjacent to the pairs of nonvolatile memory cells, and first, second, third, and fourth gates. Each pair of nonvolatile memory cells includes first and second nonvolatile memory cells. The first and second gates extend across the first nonvolatile memory cells, the second gate partially overlapping the first gate, and the third and fourth gates extend across the second nonvolatile memory cells, the fourth gate partially overlapping the third gate. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth gates has an end portion that is positioned in the edge cell, and the edge cell includes a protection layer that is positioned over the end portions of the first, second, third, and fourth gates and covers an end face of the second and fourth gates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Martin Gerhardt
  • Publication number: 20180158835
    Abstract: Methods of forming a device structure for a field-effect transistor and device structures for a field-effect transistor. A first gate dielectric layer is formed on a semiconductor layer in a first area. A hardmask layer is formed on the first gate dielectric layer in the first area of the semiconductor layer. A gate stack layer is formed on the semiconductor layer in a second area and on the hardmask layer in the first area of the semiconductor layer. The hardmask layer separates the gate stack layer from the first gate dielectric layer on the first area of the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Thomas Melde, Elke Erben
  • Patent number: 9972634
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided including providing a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate comprising a semiconductor bulk substrate, a buried insulation layer formed on the semiconductor bulk substrate and a semiconductor layer formed on the buried insulation layer, forming a first transistor device on and in the SOI substrate in a logic area of the SOI substrate, removing the semiconductor layer and the buried insulation layer from a memory area of the SOI substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the exposed semiconductor bulk substrate, forming a floating gate layer on the first dielectric layer, forming an insulating layer on the floating gate layer and forming a control gate layer on the insulating layer, wherein an upper surface of the floating gate layer is substantially at the same height level as an upper surface of the semiconductor layer remaining in the logic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Peter Krottenthaler, Martin Mazur
  • Publication number: 20180108668
    Abstract: An integrated circuit product includes a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate and a flash memory device positioned in a first area of the SOI substrate. The SOI substrate includes a semiconductor bulk substrate, a buried insulating layer positioned above the semiconductor bulk substrate, and a semiconductor layer positioned above the buried insulating layer, and the flash memory device includes a flash transistor device and a read transistor device. The flash transistor device includes a floating gate, an insulating layer positioned above the floating gate, and a control gate positioned above the insulating layer, wherein the floating gate includes a portion of the semiconductor layer. The read transistor device includes a gate dielectric layer positioned above the semiconductor bulk substrate and a read gate electrode positioned above the gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Sven Beyer, Jan Paul
  • Patent number: 9941348
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of forming a capacitor structure and a capacitor structure. A semiconductor-on-insulator substrate is provided comprising a semiconductor layer, a buried insulating material layer and a semiconductor substrate material. A shallow trench isolation structure defining a first active region on the SOI substrate is formed, the first active region having a plurality of trenches formed therein. Within each trench, the semiconductor substrate material is exposed on inner sidewalls and a bottom face. A layer of insulating material covering the exposed semiconductor substrate material is formed, and an electrode material is deposited on the layer of insulating material in the first active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Ran Yan, Ming-Cheng Chang, Ralf Richter
  • Patent number: 9922986
    Abstract: A method includes providing a semiconductor structure having a gate structure arrangement provided over a substrate. The gate structure arrangement includes one or more first gate structures and has a first sidewall and a second sidewall on opposite sides of the gate structure arrangement. A second gate structure is formed including a first portion at the first sidewall, a second portion at the second sidewall and a third portion connecting the first and second portions. Each of the first, second and third portions of the second gate structure includes a first part over the gate structure arrangement and a second part over a portion of the substrate adjacent the gate structure arrangement. After the formation of the second gate structure, one or more sections of the second gate structure are removed, wherein the first and second portions of the second gate structure are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Martin Gerhardt
  • Publication number: 20180047738
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided including providing a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate comprising a semiconductor bulk substrate, a buried insulation layer formed on the semiconductor bulk substrate and a semiconductor layer formed on the buried insulation layer, forming a first transistor device on and in the SOI substrate in a logic area of the SOI substrate, removing the semiconductor layer and the buried insulation layer from a memory area of the SOI substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the exposed semiconductor bulk substrate, forming a floating gate layer on the first dielectric layer, forming an insulating layer on the floating gate layer and forming a control gate layer on the insulating layer, wherein an upper surface of the floating gate layer is substantially at the same height level as an upper surface of the semiconductor layer remaining in the logic area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Peter Krottenthaler, Martin Mazur
  • Patent number: 9871050
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flash memory device is provided including providing a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, in particular, a fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) substrate, comprising a semiconductor bulk substrate, a buried oxide layer formed on the semiconductor bulk substrate and a semiconductor layer formed on the buried oxide layer and forming a memory device on the SOI substrate. Forming the flash memory device on the SOI substrate includes forming a flash transistor device and a read transistor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Sven Beyer, Jan Paul
  • Patent number: 9842845
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device structure including a non-volatile memory (NVM) device structure in and above a first region of a semiconductor substrate and a logic device formed in and above a second region of the semiconductor substrate different from the first region. The NVM device structure includes a floating-gate, a first select gate and at least one control gate. The logic device includes a logic gate disposed on the second region and source/drain regions provided in the second region adjacent to the logic gate. The control gate extends over the floating-gate and the first select gate is laterally separated from the floating-gate by an insulating material layer portion. Upon forming the semiconductor device structure, the floating gate is formed before forming the control gate and the logic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Melde, Ralf Richter
  • Publication number: 20170330889
    Abstract: A method includes providing a semiconductor structure having a gate structure arrangement provided over a substrate. The gate structure arrangement includes one or more first gate structures and has a first sidewall and a second sidewall on opposite sides of the gate structure arrangement. A second gate structure is formed including a first portion at the first sidewall, a second portion at the second sidewall and a third portion connecting the first and second portions. Each of the first, second and third portions of the second gate structure includes a first part over the gate structure arrangement and a second part over a portion of the substrate adjacent the gate structure arrangement. After the formation of the second gate structure, one or more sections of the second gate structure are removed, wherein the first and second portions of the second gate structure are separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Martin Gerhardt
  • Publication number: 20170317161
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of forming a capacitor structure and a capacitor structure. A semiconductor-on-insulator substrate is provided comprising a semiconductor layer, a buried insulating material layer and a semiconductor substrate material. A shallow trench isolation structure defining a first active region on the SOI substrate is formed, the first active region having a plurality of trenches formed therein. Within each trench, the semiconductor substrate material is exposed on inner sidewalls and a bottom face. A layer of insulating material covering the exposed semiconductor substrate material is formed, and an electrode material is deposited on the layer of insulating material in the first active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Ran Yan, Ming-Cheng Chang, Ralf Richter
  • Patent number: 9754951
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided which includes providing a semiconductor layer having a first area and a second area separated from the first area by an isolation structure, forming a protection layer on the isolation structure, forming at least partly a memory device in and on the first area, removing the protection layer, and forming a field effect transistor (FET) in and over the second area after the removal of the protection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Sven Beyer
  • Patent number: 9678821
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a trace procedure, which traces execution of a computer program, where the program uses different callable modules. A program stack is used to store trace buffer information and an error state, and the modules include calls of the trace procedure. The method includes: (i) when entering execution of a module, storing the current write position of the trace buffer and a cleared error flag in the current frame of the stack; (ii) in case of an error condition during execution of the program, setting the error flag in the current frame; and (iii) when leaving execution of a module, determining if the error flag is set, and if not, then rewinding the trace buffer to the write position stored in the current frame, and deleting the current write position of the trace buffer and the error flag from the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Hess, Martin Raitza, Ralf Richter, Philip Sebastian Schulz, Markus K. Strasser
  • Publication number: 20170148850
    Abstract: A memory device structure includes a wafer substrate and a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) positioned above an upper surface of the wafer substrate. The MTJ includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer laterally adjacent the first magnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic layer interposed between the first and second magnetic layers, wherein the first magnetic layer, the nonmagnetic layer and the second magnetic layer comprise a substantially vertical layer stack that extends along a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the wafer substrate. A first contact is electrically coupled to the first magnetic layer and a second contact is electrically coupled to the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Yu-Teh Chiang, Ran Yan
  • Publication number: 20170125432
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided which includes providing a semiconductor layer having a first area and a second area separated from the first area by an isolation structure, forming a protection layer on the isolation structure, forming at least partly a memory device in and on the first area, removing the protection layer, and forming a field effect transistor (FET) in and over the second area after the removal of the protection layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Sven Beyer
  • Publication number: 20170117322
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a memory device structure including a wafer substrate, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) formed by a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a thin non-magnetic layer stacked along a first direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the wafer substrate above which the MTJ is formed, the non-magnetic layer being interposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, a first contact electrically coupled to the first magnetic layer, and a second contact electrically coupled to the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Yu-Teh Chiang, Ran Yan
  • Patent number: 9614003
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a memory device structure including a wafer substrate, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) formed by a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a thin non-magnetic layer stacked along a first direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the wafer substrate above which the MTJ is formed, the non-magnetic layer being interposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, a first contact electrically coupled to the first magnetic layer, and a second contact electrically coupled to the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Yu-Teh Chiang, Ran Yan
  • Patent number: 9583640
    Abstract: A method comprises providing a semiconductor structure including a nonvolatile memory cell element comprising a floating gate, a select gate and an erase gate formed over a semiconductor material, the select gate and the erase gate being arranged at opposite sides of the floating gate, forming a control gate insulation material layer over the semiconductor structure, forming a control gate material layer over the control gate insulation material layer, performing a first patterning process that forms a control gate over the floating gate and comprises a first etch process that selectively removes a material of the control gate material layer relative to a material of the control gate insulation material layer, and performing a second patterning process that patterns the control gate insulation material layer, the patterned control gate insulation material layer covering portions of the semiconductor structure that are not covered by the control gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Sven Beyer, Carsten Grass, Tom Herrmann
  • Patent number: 9567444
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing transparent polymeric films or plastics moldings of particularly high chemical resistance, having more particularly a very good resistance towards oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions, and of high optical quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Evonik Röhm GmbH
    Inventors: Achim Neuhaeuser, Guenther Dickhaut, Ralf Richter, Jonas Scherble, Wangelis Karampougioukis